Compare towns
Vershire vs Braintree vs Whitingham vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Vershire has the most affordable homes ($209k median).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Whitingham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1974).
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Vershire | Braintree | Whitingham | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 842Lowest |
1,026 |
1,368 |
1,372Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.7±9.3Lowest 6% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
46.4±7.1 8% above VT |
51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
| Braintree and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5 VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.8% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Vershire and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,618±$12k 12% below VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$70,625±$11kLowest 13% below VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,100±$55kLowest 34% below VT |
$217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
$262,300±$30k 17% below VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,117±$80 9% below VT |
$840±$405 32% below VT |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$1,125±$789Highest 9% below VT |
| Strafford and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,640 8% below VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,055 about the VT average |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.8%±24.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
| Vershire and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
15.5% VT: 10.1% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% VT: 73.2% |
81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.2% VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 38% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Twin Valley Middle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.